Tesla has planned something special aimed for its Chinese market as it posted a teaser on its official Weibo account, China's main social networking platform, announcing that a surprise will be revealed on Friday, May 31, 2019.
There is no doubt that Tesla has forced the auto industry to change its paradigm and wants to push it more by trying to conquer the Chinese market. China is the largest car market in the world, and with the ongoing trade war, foreign companies want to ensure access to China's market. Tesla is attentive, and this week will present a surprise exclusively in China.
Today, the American manufacturer shared a teaser in its account official Weibo Chinese social network account that says a surprise is coming on May 21, 2019, with a trail that seems to be of the back of a car. Tesla gives no other details, leaving fans anticipating and guessing what the surprise is.
Tesla Mysterious Announcement Could Be The New Tesla Model 3 Price
According to several sources, the brand plans to disclose the new price of the Tesla Model 3 manufactured in China. The Model 3 that will be manufactured at the facilities that the brand is currently building in China is said to be much lower than the price of the Model 3 in the rest of the world.
All Tesla model 3 that are being sold in China are imported from the US, so they have a very different tax treatment and Government subsidies than the models that are assembled in China. They are also subject to import tariffs that are continuously going higher as trade tensions between the United States and China increase.
Currently, the cheapest version of the Tesla model 3 costs 377,000 yuan or $54000. For a car that is supposed to be a mass market model, this is not competitive in a country where the cheapest electric cars in the world are sold. Chinese companies have EVs that are sold for as low as $9000.
Tesla China is teasing a May 31st event, not global, just China. What could it be? pic.twitter.com/8UPJgEU36Z — Kelvin Yang (@KelvinYang7) May 27, 2019
Tesla Gigafactory 3 Launch And Start Of Production
Another strong point that Tesla may have for the mysterious surprise would be the Gigafactory 3 that the company is currently building in Shanghai. It is reported that the works needed to complete the plant are almost finished, so there is the possibility that Tesla may announce that the new factory will be operational sooner than expected.
Initially, the start of production is scheduled for the end of the year, but Tesla hasn’t disclosed an exact date yet. By producing locally, Tesla will not only be able to avoid tariffs. They can also enjoy government subsidies and will also accelerate the delivery rate.
The Tesla Gigafactory 3 represents an investment of two billion dollars and will be the first foreign-owned automobile factory built in China, as so far factories in the country were owned by joint ventures established between foreign brands and Chinese brands.
Unlike the Tesla Gigafactory 1 in Nevada, the batteries that will be assembled in the Gigafactory 3 will not use Panasonic cells exclusively. Elon Musk held talks with Chinese battery supplier, Contemporary Amperex Technology. Reports also said that Tesla had signed an agreement with Tianjin Lishen Battery Company Limited.
New model on its way
Another possibility is the presentation of a new Tesla model since the teaser image seems to be a back of the car quite new to the eyes of Tesla fans. Another advantage of producing locally is that Tesla can now be able to manufacture and offer design and features that suit Chinese tastes and preferences, and this is what some people expect in the Tesla surprise for China this week.
Some speculate that Tesla will present a special edition of one of their models for China, such as a Model 3 adapted to local tastes with a new combination of interior colors, or a new set of wheels of exclusive design. The brand may also officially present new Model S and Model X equipped with more efficient engines or higher autonomy.
Finally, there is the possibility that Tesla will reveal a new load standard for its Chinese models: just as the European Model 3 models have a CCS Combo 2 socket to take advantage of the cargo infrastructure of the continent, Tesla could adapt their models to China to GB / T format, the Asian country standard
Tesla Model Y
Tesla's mysterious announcement can also be about the Tesla Model Y. Though this one may not come as a big surprise as the new Tesla Model Y, Tesla's SUV/MPV, was already presented a few weeks ago, but there are still a few months before its commercial launched, and it would not be the first time that Tesla launched a teaser campaign to present a model already presented, as was the case with the scale model of the Tesla Roadster .
